ISSUES OF ADOLESCENT DEPRESSION IN MALAYSIA: A COMPARATIVE STUDY USING DASS-21 AND BDI

Depression is one of the top mental health issues among adolescents. Be it students or any other one, depression terribly affects the social, academic, and emotional aspects of their well-being. Thus, the research analyzed the prevalence and levels of depression among secondary students in North Penang, Malaysia, using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale 21 (DASS-21) instruments and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Specifically, 4,492 students took part in the study, with the DASS-21 classifying 72.6% as normal and the BDI reporting a higher prevalence of mild depression at 19.8%. The results highlight that mental health assessments need to be conducted separately using different tools. They should be proactive in programming prevention time through counseling modules designed specifically and systematic prevention programs to effectively deal with adolescent depression.